| 10:1 |
Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. |
| 10:2 |
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. |
| 10:3 |
For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. |
| 10:4 |
For Christ is the fulfillment { or, completion, or end } of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. |
| 10:5 |
For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them." { Leviticus 18:5 } |
| 10:6 |
But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' { Deuteronomy 30:12 } (that is, to bring Christ down); |
| 10:7 |
or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' { Deuteronomy 30:13 } (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" |
| 10:8 |
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" { Deuteronomy 30:14 } that is, the word of faith, which we preach: |
| 10:9 |
that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. |
| 10:10 |
For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
| 10:11 |
For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." { Isaiah 28:16 } |
| 10:12 |
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. |
| 10:13 |
For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." { Joel 2:32 } |
| 10:14 |
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? |
| 10:15 |
And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" { Isaiah 52:7 } |
| 10:16 |
But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" { Isaiah 53:1 } |
| 10:17 |
So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
| 10:18 |
But I say, didn't they hear? Yes, most certainly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." { Psalm 19:4 } |
| 10:19 |
But I ask, didn't Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry." { Deuteronomy 32:31 } |
| 10:20 |
Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me." { Isaiah 65:1 } |
| 10:21 |
But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." { Isaiah 65:2 } |
